Search “accountant near me” in Tennessee and the results blur together: national franchises, solo CPAs, seasonal tax shops. Most small business owners typing that phrase want one of three things. A tax return filed correctly. Someone to make sense of the numbers. A second opinion before a big decision. Tennessee adds a twist of its own. No personal income tax in Tennessee — but business net income still runs through the Franchise and Excise Tax. That’s a different filing entirely. The Bookkeeping Company keeps books and prepares returns for Tennessee businesses remotely. Not a CPA firm. An IRS PTIN holder, AIPB-accredited bookkeeper, and QuickBooks Elite ProAdvisor who sees the numbers every month, not just in April.
By Maya Primachenko, IRS PTIN Holder & Founder · Last updated October 2026
Accountant Near Me: When a Tennessee Business Needs One
The right accountant near me shows up when the work changes. A bookkeeper keeps the records. An accountant uses them — files returns, reads the numbers, and weighs in on decisions.
Signs the Books Have Outgrown the Owner
Any one of these is a signal:
- First employee hired — payroll taxes and W-2 obligations start immediately.
- A filing deadline missed, or an agency notice showed up.
- A lender or investor asked to see the financial statements.
- The owner is looking at an S-corp election.
- Sales cross state lines, or remote employees work in other states.
- Gross receipts in a city or county are approaching the business tax filing threshold.
Tennessee Tipping Points
Tennessee adds triggers of its own. Owners pay no personal income tax, but the business still owes the excise tax on net income, so a first profitable year usually means a first real accountant conversation. Additionally, the Works Tax Act raised the business tax filing threshold from $10,000 to $100,000 per jurisdiction. Tennessee is also moving from a three-factor apportionment formula to a single sales factor, which matters for any business selling into other states. (Tennessee Department of Revenue — Franchise and Excise Tax)
What an Accountant Needs From Your Books
Accountants bill for the time they spend fixing records. Clean books shrink that time to almost nothing.
The Year-End Package
- Reconciled statements — every bank and credit card account, every month, tied out to the closing balance
- Financial statements — a full-year income statement and balance sheet
- Payroll records — payroll reports, W-2 totals, and 1099-NEC totals by contractor, with W-9s on file
- Fixed asset list — purchase dates and costs for equipment and vehicles bought during the year
- Loan statements — interest paid on every business loan and line of credit
- Prior-year return — for carryovers, depreciation schedules, and opening balances
The Tennessee Extras
Tennessee asks for four more things. Net income by period feeds the excise calculation. Balance sheet net worth feeds the franchise component. Gross receipts by city or county feed the annual business tax return. Sales tax collected and remitted, by period, closes the loop on every sales tax filing. All of those filings run through TNTAP, the state’s online portal. (Tennessee Taxpayer Access Point — TNTAP) Asset records matter too, since Tennessee adopted federal bonus depreciation.
Year-End Accounts for Tennessee Businesses
Year-end is a process, not a date.
The Year-End Close
- Every account reconciled through December 31.
- Accruals reviewed; adjusting entries booked for accrual-basis businesses.
- S-corp owner pay settled: salary amount confirmed, distributions documented, payroll run to match.
- 1099-NEC payments totaled by contractor; W-9 confirmed on file for each.
- Fixed asset list finalized — additions and disposals recorded.
W-2s and 1099-NECs: out by January 31. Miss that date and penalties start per form. (IRS — Recordkeeping for Small Businesses)
Tennessee Filing Dates
Calendar-year entities: Franchise and Excise return due April 15. Fiscal-year filers: 15th day of the fourth month after year end — June 30 year end means October 15. Federal S-corp and partnership returns: March 15. Individual and C-corp: April 15. Extensions buy time to file. Payment is still due on the original deadline.
Year-Round Support or Year-End Only?
Year-end-only service works for one kind of business: a simple one. Here is what shows up between January and December:
- Federal estimated taxes — due April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 for owners without enough withholding
- Tennessee estimates — generally quarterly Franchise and Excise payments once expected liability reaches $5,000 (Form FAE172)
- Sales tax filings — monthly or quarterly through TNTAP, depending on volume
- Payroll reports — quarterly federal and Tennessee unemployment insurance filings
- The S-corp question — which needs a mid-year income projection, not a December guess
- Agency notices — which arrive in any month, including August
None of that waits politely for April.
One Firm for Both Books and Accounting
Yes. One firm covering both removes the handoff, and the handoff is where cost and errors pile up. The reconciled monthly records that produce financial statements also produce the return. No reconstruction in March. No second accountant learning your chart of accounts.
One honest limit: The Bookkeeping Company is not a CPA firm. When a lender requires reviewed or audited statements, or an audit needs formal representation, the firm refers clients to CPA or Enrolled Agent partners.
See how the firm’s bookkeeping service and tax preparation service run on the same records.
What Does an Accountant Cost in Tennessee?
Fees depend on the work and the credential. Per SCORE (2025) and National Society of Accountants (2025):
- CPA firm hourly rates: $150 to $400 an hour, depending on firm and engagement
- Flat monthly bookkeeping: $250 to $1,500 or more per month, by transaction volume
- Schedule C with Form 1040: about $482 or more
- S-corp Form 1120-S: about $903 or more, plus the owner’s personal return
- Partnership Form 1065: about $873 or more, plus partner returns
- Tennessee Franchise and Excise return: an added fee, usually bundled with the federal return
A free consultation produces one quote covering every filing before any work starts.
Accountant Near Me: Tennessee Statewide, Fully Remote
Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and every town between — The Bookkeeping Company works with Tennessee businesses statewide. All remote. New clients any time of year. Call 360-524-9889.
Frequently Asked Questions About Finding an Accountant Near Me in Tennessee
When does a business need an accountant rather than a bookkeeper?
Recording gives way to interpreting — a first employee, a lender asking for statements, an entity decision, sales into other states, or an agency notice. A bookkeeper keeps records current. An accountant files returns and advises on decisions. Most Tennessee businesses need both, in that order.
What does an accountant cost for a small business?
$150 to $400 an hour for a CPA firm (SCORE, 2025). Return preparation: Schedule C around $482 or more, S-corp Form 1120-S $903 or more, partnership Form 1065 $873 or more — per the National Society of Accountants (2025).
Does a Tennessee business need support year round or just at year end?
Year round. Estimated payments, sales tax filings, payroll reports, S-corp salary decisions, agency notices — all of it lands between January and December. Year-end-only service runs a higher bill later: twelve months of records reconstructed in one sitting.
What does an accountant need from your books?
Reconciled bank and credit card statements, a full-year P&L and balance sheet, payroll and 1099-NEC totals, the fixed asset list, loan interest statements, and the prior-year return. For Tennessee: net income by period, balance sheet net worth, gross receipts by city or county, and sales tax collected.
Can one firm handle both the books and the accounting?
Yes. Monthly books and tax return preparation run from the same reconciled records — no handoff, no March reconstruction. Not a CPA firm; audit work goes to CPA or Enrolled Agent partners.
Is The Bookkeeping Company a CPA firm?
No. Maya Primachenko holds an IRS PTIN, AIPB accreditation, and QuickBooks Elite Certified ProAdvisor status. Returns prepared; routine IRS and state correspondence handled. Audits, appeals, reviewed or audited statements: those go to CPA or Enrolled Agent partners.
Which Tennessee filings does year-end accounting cover?
Franchise and Excise Tax return, annual business tax return, sales tax reconciliation, W-2s and 1099-NECs, the federal entity return, and the owner’s personal return. All Tennessee filings go through TNTAP.
Can you take over from my current accountant?
Yes. Prior returns requested, accounting-platform access granted, last clean reconciliation date confirmed, any gaps fixed. One to two weeks for current books; longer when catch-up comes first. The business keeps ownership of every record.
About The Bookkeeping Company
The Bookkeeping Company: Tax Strategies & Planning
18523 NE 65th St
Vancouver, WA 98682
Phone: 360-524-9889
Email: thebookkeepingcomp@gmail.com
Service Area: Serving Tennessee businesses statewide — Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and all Tennessee communities. All work delivered remotely. Free initial consultations for all new clients.